Yesterday in parliament

Tuesday 12 May 2009 03.44 EDT
First published on Tuesday 12 May 2009 03.44 EDT

MPs' expenses

Speaker Michael Martin proposed "serious change" to the system of MPs' allowances amid mounting public fury over claims exposed on all sides.

He said there would be independent audit of claims in future, adding: "But working to the rules and the rules alone isn't what is expected of any honourable member.

"It is important that the spirit of what is right must be brought in now."

Martin told MPs that an "operational assurance unit" was being set up to provide independent oversight of claims.

The Speaker said the clerk of the house had been advised that there was no basis for seeking an injunction over revelations in the Telegraph, but there was some basis for considering that a criminal offence may have been committed.

He said the clerk had referred the matter to the Metropolitan police commissioner to look into.

Tamil protesters

He said he planned to hold a meeting in the Commons for people involved in the demonstration in an attempt to resolve the issue.

Equality bill

The equality bill cleared its first parliamentary hurdle despite claims it will burden business with red tape and lead to widespread positive discrimination.

During the second reading debate, the women's and equality minister, Harriet Harman, said it would make the UK "fairer and more prosperous".

She insisted it was right to press ahead with the measure despite fears that businesses hit by the recession could be landed with the extra cost of implementing anti-discrimination measures.

Harman said: "When times are hard it's even more important that everyone feels that they have an equal chance, that we all pull together because we are in the same boat."

Job applications

Job applications should be anonymous so employers do not "subliminally discard" them due to gender, race or age, Lynne Featherstone, for the Liberal Democrats, said.

Applicants should instead submit their national insurance number and the "personality and character" of an applicant could then shine through at the interview stage, she said.

Rural Payments Agency

The Rural Payments Agency has been forced to return more than £200m to the EU over the last five years for breaches of the UK's common agricultural policy requirements, it emerged.

The RPA, which oversaw a payments fiasco that pushed thousands of farmers to the brink of bankruptcy, has had "financial corrections" totalling £200,456,000 imposed by the European commission since 2004-5, the environment minister, Jane Kennedy, disclosed.

Royal Mail

A Labour rebel's bid to block the part-privatisation of the Royal Mail was decisively rejected.

An amendment moved by Labour's Lord Clarke of Hampstead, a former postman, at the postal services bill's report stage was defeated by 228 votes to 25.

Jobcentres

Newly unemployed people are often left "horrified" by the treatment they receive in jobcentres, Labour's former welfare reform minister Frank Field said.

He told MPs those who were possibly experiencing being made redundant for the first time as a result of the recession felt they were not getting their "fair share" of support from the work and pensions department.

The work and pensions secretary, James Purnell, insisted JobcentrePlus staff were coping well with the increase in unemployment.

Eddie Stobart redundancies

The trucking group Eddie Stobart was accused in the Commons of making "large numbers" of people redundant without proper consultation.

Labour's John Mann (Bassetlaw) said the firm had "abused" government legislation that seeks to preserve employees' terms and conditions when a business is transferred to a new employer.

The employment minister, Tony McNulty, replied: "I understand your point, but I do not have the figures you allude to at the start of your question to hand."

Employment opportunities bill

Tory Philip Davies (Shipley) came under fire for supporting a backbench bill that would scrap the minimum wage.

He called on the government to make it "as easy as possible" for employers to take on new workers.

But Purnell accused him of seeking to abolish the minimum wage and urged the Tory frontbench not to support the employment opportunities bill, which is being introduced by the Conservative ex-minister Christopher Chope (Christchurch).